


Still Water

by JaziandCo



Series: Secrets - Shadowhunters (TV) [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 1.08 Ficlet, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Trans Male Character, transgender alec lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-29 01:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11430624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaziandCo/pseuds/JaziandCo
Summary: And the warlock gave him a little smile, one that broadened as Alec reciprocated with one of his own. He wasn’t any closer to understanding if Alec actually was interested or if he was simply finally accepting himself, but he thought, maybe, the boy would have some reprieve from the politicking pressure of his parents and this marriage business and that was, truly, enough for now. Magnus was far from a patient man, but he knew when to push and when to back off. This- this had seemed like enough.For now.





	Still Water

Magnus knew, for a fact, that he absolutely did not want to get involved in Shadowhunter business. This was a bit of a problem, seeing as the object of his desires was not only a Shadowhunter but also a Lightwood. One of  _ the _ Shadowhunter families. When he received a fire message from a Lydia Branwell, Head of the New York Institute (hmm- didn’t that title belong to the Lightwoods? Nevermind, he didn’t care what was happening with Maryse) to come and examine a Forsaken, it took him several minutes of deliberating whether he actually wanted to accept this as a job. Not like he didn’t have other clients, now that he’d relocated to the loft.

 

The answer was yes- any soldier of Valentine’s that could raise an attack on people under the Clave’s “protection” meant devastating effects on the rest of the Downworld. Especially with how fast the Clave was to lay blame anywhere but on themselves. Everyone wanted the Mortal Cup, and with stakes that high, innocent people were always caught in the middle. Magnus had seen that himself many times through the centuries- mortal and immortal conflict alike was always full of casualties.

 

That  _ was _ why he’d collected all the warlocks he could find and hid with them in a glamoured lair. Which had worked, mind you, until he let himself get involved in Shadowhunter nonsense over a necklace he hadn’t even kept. Maybe that’s why he gave it back.

 

A pang had run through him at some point. If the Forsaken had injured people, even killed a few, and a Lightwood was not currently the Head, could that mean-

 

But no, the answer was, of course, far more simple than that. He knew Alexander was not in danger the second his sister entered the operating room where he was busying himself over the corpse looking for clues. The warlock smiled at the girl’s impatience. She wanted to get her hands on the Forsaken and he, in turn, would like to get his hands on Alec. As he had said to himself when gathering courage to call him- no time like the present.

 

“Speaking of which,” and an eyebrow waggle for good measure, which she snorted at, “how is your brother?” She paused in her examination of the Forsaken’s head, giving him a curious look, before pretending she hadn’t heard him. Something to hide, perhaps?  _ Had _ something happened to Alec during the attack? “It’s just so hard to tell if he’s even interested,” he tried again, “though I can’t fathom why he wouldn’t be.”

 

“I’m not exactly sure if you’ve noticed but,” she turned the creature’s head to the side, wrinkling her nose at the smell, “my brot-  _ Alec _ is not exactly warm and fuzzy.”

 

“Mm, I suppose.” Definitely something to hide, but nothing in her tone to imply that something permenant had happened. “With Clary’s arrival…”

 

“Valentine’s return.”

 

“Running the Institute.” Except, not anymore.

 

“The envoy from the Clave.”

 

Lydia- whom he’d had yet to meet but whom everyone seemed to have an opinion of. “Who I hear is  _ very _ impressive. Oh- what else… Ah, yes, babysitting Jace.”

 

“And dealing with our parents who are trying to find him a ma-  _ wife _ ,” she caught herself and looked at him before he’d had a chance to hide his frown. “Sorry.”

 

And that would be why Alexander had been balking at his advances, he supposed. But not why Isabelle was very specifically not telling him something, something she felt at ease to speak freely about on other terms with other people considering she was visibly correcting her speech around him. Ah, Shadowhunter politics. There was a reason he didn’t want to be involved. Of course Alec was having a hard time telling up from down- gay, unrequited love, surrounded by these politics… and being talked into an arranged marriage by his parents. At least Isabelle seemed to be on her brother’s side, even if it looked to Magnus that no one else was.

 

“That’s quite alright,” he chuckled softly to ease the tension from Isabelle, “I suppose Alec is just… following his duty.”

 

“Not everyone gets the luxury of following their heart.” There was some bitterness in there to tell Magnus she had learned that particular lesson harshly.

 

“I’m going to go… deliver the preliminary findings. Seems like you have everything under control here.”

 

The Shadowhunter nodded at him, picking up a scalpel with her gloved hand, and he exited a little faster to avoid the horrific stink he knew would soon fill the air. And to find Alec, who he definitely needed to talk to about this.

 

He’d turned a little too fast to see Isabelle quirk the corner of her mouth up in a slight smile.

 

Magnus found a treat waiting for him in the Institute’s training room. Not actually edible, of course, but if the sight of Alec in what looked like a tight undershirt and equally form-hugging pants wailing on a punching bag wasn’t a divine gift from heaven meant just for him, then he didn’t know what else it could be. Tall, toned, and focused on his task of taking his frustrations out on an inanimate object from the looks of things- Alexander was  _ absolutely _ a welcome sight in this moment.

 

The warlock walked around to Alec’s front to get a better view and possibly lost track of his ability to breathe. Alec took notice of him then and paused. Said his name once, twice and-

 

“Okay,” Magnus breathed, blinking a few times as he filed away the display he’d seen to a part of his mind he could review later, “I’m back.” Alec looked briefly mortified, which was ridiculous of course, there was nothing particularly  _ revealing _ about what he was wearing and certainly nothing to complain about and yet the boy grabbed a shirt to layer over the one he was already wearing. Odd for a Shadowhunter to be self conscious of their skin. Most prefer to show it off, the more skin the better, proud of their runes. Not unlike his sister. “Oh no, you don’t have to get dressed up for m-  _ fiiine _ , but I liked what I saw.”

 

He absolutely did not miss that Alexander’s hands were shaking slightly, neither did he miss that Alec was steadfastly  _ not _ looking at him. He wasn’t quite sure how he kept striking out with these Lightwood siblings- they both had a particularly terrible habit of snapping shut like a clam under pressure which made it even harder to guess. Magnus cleared his throat, revealing his actual reason for his visit to not actually be oogling an attractive body by flourishing that report he’d intended to deliver. “I have the preliminary autopsy findings- though Isabelle is working hard to finish the rest.”

 

Alec took the paperwork from him, stared mutely for a second, then made to give them back. “Why are you giving these to me? These should go to the Head of the Institute.” When Magnus refused to accept the folder, he tossed it onto the bench beside them.

 

“And it is.”

 

Alec scoffed his dissent, saying something that Magnus instantly forgot as his eyes travelled back down to the other man’s body. He thought of the hint of abs, toned pecs, and a good strong back to go with the biceps he actually could see. To think that was wrapped up in a shy package- “Magnus,” Okay, his attention was back on the conversation now. “It’s like- It’s like my whole life has been a lie. Everything I’ve ever known, it’s-”

 

Ah, so this is indeed about Alexander’s  _ preferences _ . “It’s not what you thought,” he finishes, having seen Alec start rambling when he’s flustered like this.

 

“I’ve done  _ everything _ for my parents. For the Clave. And- I- I’ve done everything that they’ve asked.”

 

“Maybe you should start living for yourself.” And that was entirely unselfish. Magnus had seen enough people struggle with their identities in a repressed environment, he knew what it eventually did to a person. He’d lived through entire centuries and governments where the worst that happened if you were  _ yourself _ was torture and execution, not expulsion from a community or public shame, and yet the reaction was always the same. Those holding themselves in always broke, over time. He’d certainly come clos- nope. That was a thought for another time and another day. “Do what’s in your heart.”

 

But Alexander was still distracted, still not quite meeting his eye. “I can’t believe I’m saying this.” Ah, there we go, finally a glimpse of the hazel. “But… I think you’re right.”

 

And the warlock gave him a little smile, one that broadened as Alec reciprocated with one of his own. He wasn’t any closer to understanding if Alec actually was interested or if he was simply finally accepting himself, but he thought, maybe, the boy would have some reprieve from the politicking pressure of his parents and this marriage business and that was, truly, enough for now. Magnus was far from a patient man, but he knew when to push and when to back off. This- this had seemed like enough.

 

For now.

**Author's Note:**

> Magnus' inner voice is really hard to pin down. It's hard to make him sound young, and timeless, and experienced, without making him also sound condescending or patronizing. IMO, he probably comes off like that to the main gang anyway until they get to know him better, so there's that.
> 
> As always, thanks for the support and well wishes!
> 
> Beta'd by the lovely BiconBane.


End file.
